In Other Words
by Lillibetm3
Summary: What do you get if you mix Alice in Wonderland with Frank Sinatra and Doctor Who? [NineRose romance].


Written for the heartsintime LJ Nine/Rose community challenge: 'have the Doctor seduce Rose in a very unobtrusive, subtle way.  
The lyrics used are Frank Sinatra's 'Fly me to the Moon

IN OTHER WORDS

Rose found the box on her bed. It was large and wrapped up like a birthday present with a red ribbon -- and there was a card. She sat down next to the box and stared at it, biting down on her bottom lip.

It wasn't her birthday. At least, she was pretty sure that it wasn't her birthday. That sort of thing was hard to keep track of on board the TARDIS. Still... she smiled and her fingers crept toward the card. She opened the envelope, slid out the card and stared at it. The words 'Wear Me', were written in an elegant hand. She frowned a little then looked back to the large box, biting her lip even more. Cautiously she pulled at the elaborate bow then lifted the lid of the box to reveal layers of crisp frost pink tissue paper. She smiled and her eyes shimmered. Birthday or not, she couldn't help the bubble of excitment that was building within her -- and she had the oddest feeling that the TARDIS was looking over her shoulder and smiling.

Carefully she folded back the delicate sheets of tissue until she discovered the box's secret. A dress. Her hands smoothed over it, then lifting it out of the box she held it up infront of her. It was probably the most beautiful dress Rose had ever seen. It was made of rich, deep, red silk, shot through with gold and scattered with the most fragile grains of something that shone and twinkled in a way that made Rose half believe it was star-dust.

She stood up and lay the dress down onto the bed, stepping back to admire it. Her foot knocked against something on the floor and she picked it up. Another box. This one was smaller and Rose wasted no time in pulling open the ribbon and lifting the lid. Shoes. Perfect red suede shoes, that looked a bit 1940's in style.

She glanced back at the card she had dropped back onto the bed. She grinned happily and reached for the dress. 'Wear Me.'

So she did.

xxxxx

Rose stepped out into the coridoor and for a second she was so surprised that she forgot to breathe. The usual bright lighing of the TARDIS was gone -- replaced by the soft flickering flames of hundreds of candles that were lined up against the walls, lighting her way to where ever it was she was meant to be heading. But there was more, because scattered underfoot on the metal floor, were a blanket of red rose petals that filled the air with their heavy scent.

Rose glanced behind her but the coridoor was bare... only the floor ahead was filled with candles and roses. It was most definitely the path she was meant to follow. Especially as she noticed that lying on the floor, amongst the rose petals was a small card which read: 'Follow Me.'

So she did.

xxxxx

She hadn't been walking for very long when she began to hear music, soft strains of something from the big band era. For a second she thought that it was the song she and Jack had danced to infront of Big Ben, but she soon realised that it wasn't. The closer she got to the source of the music the easier it was for her to catch the tune. She could hum it and it felt familiar, but it was still too muffled to place.

Eventually the trail of rose petals came to an end and Rose found herself standing infront of a large, dark, wooden door that she was certain she'd never seen before. Next to the door was a tall table and in the centre was a glass of champagne that shone almost golden in the soft candlelight. There was a small card on the table next to the glass. Rose picked it up and read the two words which were written across it: 'Drink Me.'

So she did.

She dropped the card back to the table top and hiccupped from the champagne bubbles. She looked at the empty glass with a small smile before returning it to the table top. Only then did she look back to the door infront of her, at once noticing a card tied to the silver door-handle. She felt sure that it hadn't been there before. It simply read: 'Open Me.'

So she did.

xxxxx

She stepped into a dark room and a first she couldn't make anything out, but then all at once -- almost as if by magic -- a golden glow illuminated the room. Looking around with curious eyes, Rose found herself to be in a ballroom. Soft, floating lights swirled and twisted across the wooden floor, almost as if they were dancing to the gentle music which was being played by an unseen orchestra of instruments. TARDIS magic, no-doubt.

On the other side of the room there were doors that were open wide and the scent of jasmine drifted in from the garden beyond. Rose thought that she could glimpse stars and a huge white moon in a darkening sky.

She was just about to walk across the room and go outside into the cool evening, when a hand took hers. Surprised, she turned and found herself staring up into the Doctor's blue-grey eyes.

He smiled at her, looking at her with such intensity that Rose could hardly remember to breathe.

His eyes took in every detail of the dress that covered her creamy skin and when he returned his attention to Rose's eyes she noticed that his own had darkened somewhat.

"Do you like the dress?" he asked, his voice a note or two lower than she was used to -- it made her heart jump.

She licked her suddenly dry lips and stared back up at him. "'Course I do... it's beautiful, but..."

His thumb stoked across the back of her hand and Rose forgot what she had been about to say.

"But...?" he prompted softly, leaning into her, his breath cool against her cheek as she lifted her face to meet his gaze.

"I don't understand what it's all for. The dress, the shoes, the champagne and..." She somehow managed to look away from his captivating eyes and glanced back to the ballroom. "This... all of this."

He drew her close and whispered softly into her ear. "It's for you, Rose. It's all for you."

He led her slowly out into the centre of the room and the music began to play a little louder than before. Gently he took her into his arms, turning her, swaying her softly. Their bodies moved closer together as the music played and the words of the song crept into Rose's mind, as her eyes fluttered closed and she allowed the Doctor to sweep her away into her dreams.

_Fly me to the moon. Let me sing among the stars. Let me see what Spring is like, On Jupiter and Mars._

She opened her eyes as she was spun away, out of his arms, then in a heart beat he was holding her close again. His fingertips traced a cool caress to her bare arms and Rose's breath caught in her throat.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked.

_In other words, hold my hand In other words, baby kiss me._

His touch moved to her throat, where her pulse betrayed her and told him how fast her heart raced. His lips brushed against her shoulder, his teeth grazing her skin oh so gently.

She almost cried out.

She heard his laughter and her stomach tied into knots. Had they stopped dancing? She couldn't tell... she was dizzy from simply being this close to him. All she really knew was that he was whispering words into her heart, his voice full of darkness and promise.

_Fill my heart with song Let me sing for ever more._

"Would you rather I was Jack?" he asked her, his hand burning at her hip as he drew her body tight against his. "Would you rather be dancing with Jack?"

"No." She shook her head. "No, of course not."

"Good." The word was brushed against her cheek by soft cool lips as she felt his hands move through her hair, pulling out the fancy clip that held it twisted up. Released, her blonde hair fell in soft curls to frame her face and Rose heard a rough gasp torn from the Doctor's mouth as he breathed in the scent of her.

Her skin was on fire, she could feel it. It didn't make sense -- his touch was so cool. How could it make her burn?

_You are all I long for. All I worship and adore._

"Doctor?" she wasn't even sure that she had spoken.

"Need you," he said as he kissed her throat all too quickly, making her whimper. "Want you."

_In other words, please be true._

"Doctor..." her hands move to touch his face, draw his mouth down to hers. She knew that this was insane. She couldn't possibly need him so much that she... except that she did. She needed him completely and nothing else mattered. Nothing.

_In other words, I love you._

He was a breath away now and all she could do was stare up into his perfect blue-grey eyes as the last notes of the song drifted away into memory.

His hand moved to the small of her back, curving her into him, letting her learn the shape of him, but still he waited... waited...

"Doctor..." she didn't know how she could still speak, but his name fell from her lips like an invitation. "Kiss me."

So he did.


End file.
